54. SCALLOPED OYSTERS with BACON

serves four


1 pint oysters
1/2 lb. diced bacon
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup unsalted cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Drain the oysters and pat dry, reserving the liquor for another use. Saute the bacon in a skillet until almost crisp, remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Pour off all but a tablespoon of fat from the skillet, melt the butter, and saute the shallots until tender. Add one half of the bacon, the cream, crumbs, parsley, and chives. Arrange the oysters in a buttered gratin dish or a 9x9-inch baking dish and season them with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon juice and top with the crumb mixture and remaining bacon. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and brown.

NOTE: serve with Amontillado Sherry


courtesy of: Oysters: A Culinary Celebration, by Joan Reardon. Guilford, CT: The Lyons Press, 2004, pp. 181-182.